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Administration now, urges Butler
Richard Sutcliffe
at Elland Road
Leeds United 1
Cardiff City 1
Leeds captain calls for drastic action to save club
PAUL BUTLER believes administration is looking inevitable for Leeds United and is calling on the board to act quickly or risk slipping out of the top two divisions for the first time.
The ailing club are approaching a pivotal moment in their history with Norman Stubbs's consortium set to decide later today whether to invest around £15m.
Sebastien Sainsbury's withdrawal from talks with Leeds over a proposed takeover means only the Stubbs group remain and if they decide not to invest then administration seems the likely outcome.
That would result in a 10-point deduction which, if incurred today, would plunge Kevin Blackwell's side into the bottom three with just 17 games left in which to escape. Should Stubbs decide not to invest, the impending sale of Scott Carson may buy the board time to try and find a fresh cash injection, a source close to Sainsbury's Manchester-based backer suggesting over the weekend a fresh £25m bid will be made without the 42-year-old as frontman.
However, Butler is tired of the speculation and is adamant the uncertainty hanging over the club must be brought to an end as soon as possible.
The Leeds captain said: "We need to know now because I think it is only a matter of time before they take the 10 points off us. If the club get it sorted out at least we will know in our minds where we are – we will be looking at a relegation battle.
"We will be on 27 points and know exactly how many wins we will need to get out of trouble. The worry is it (administration) happening in March, which will be horrendous as there will only be a few games left to get out of trouble.
"The one thing we do not want is to go through the leagues like Sheffield Wednesday or Manchester City. I support City and what happened to them was crippling.
"We need to know where we stand and so does the manager. Going into administration will be for the good of the club because once it happens we can then all move forward together. At the moment, it is all set up for the last day of the season when we play Rotherham United at home."
It will be ironic if it is the Millers who condemn Leeds to a second successive relegation, Rotherham sliding out of Division Two 22 years ago after a 2-2 draw at Elland Road on the final day of the season.
If Leeds are to avoid a similar fate they will have to improve on their sorry showing in the final hour against Cardiff. United started brightly and deservedly led through Simon Walton's 14th-minute goal, the teenager exchanging passes with Aaron Lennon and David Healy before coolly finishing from eight yards.
Healy, playing in his preferred role up front, also tested City goalkeeper Tony Warner with two stinging shots from outside the penalty area in the early stages while Gary Kelly's effort went inches wide as United threatened to over-run the visitors.
However, Leeds failed to build on their encouraging start with Cardiff duo Graham Kavanagh and Junichi Inamoto allowed to assume control in the centre of midfield. Their incisive quick movement of the ball, in stark contrast to some woeful attempts at passing by Leeds, meant the Bluebirds were able to pin the home side back for long periods.
Inamoto rattled Neil Sullivan's crossbar in first-half stoppage time while the onslaught continued after the break with Peter Thorne bringing a fine save from the goalkeeper. Cardiff drew level in the 51st minute when referee Neale Barry harshly ruled Sullivan had tripped Richard Langley, Thorne sending the Scotland international the wrong way from the resulting penalty.
The equaliser failed to galvanise United who continued to commit basic errors, Jermaine Wright being guilty of continually giving away possession.
It could have been a lot worse for Leeds with James Collins somehow diverting his header wide when unmarked just six yards out. Alan Lee and Jobi McAnuff were also guilty of failing to capitalise on decent openings late in the game.
Butler admitted: "We started well but for the last 60 minutes there was nothing there at all. We were lucky to come away with a point as we were hanging on at the end."
Leeds United: Sullivan; Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Richardson; Wright, Walton (Spring 85), Pugh; Lennon (Carlisle 57), Healy, Joachim.
Cardiff City: Warner; Weston, Collins, Gabbidon, Barker; Langley, Kavanagh, Inamoto (Ledley 88), McAnuff; Jerome (Lee 30), Thorne.
Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe)
Leeds man of the match: Healy.
Administration now, urges Butler
Richard Sutcliffe
at Elland Road
Leeds United 1
Cardiff City 1
Leeds captain calls for drastic action to save club
PAUL BUTLER believes administration is looking inevitable for Leeds United and is calling on the board to act quickly or risk slipping out of the top two divisions for the first time.
The ailing club are approaching a pivotal moment in their history with Norman Stubbs's consortium set to decide later today whether to invest around £15m.
Sebastien Sainsbury's withdrawal from talks with Leeds over a proposed takeover means only the Stubbs group remain and if they decide not to invest then administration seems the likely outcome.
That would result in a 10-point deduction which, if incurred today, would plunge Kevin Blackwell's side into the bottom three with just 17 games left in which to escape. Should Stubbs decide not to invest, the impending sale of Scott Carson may buy the board time to try and find a fresh cash injection, a source close to Sainsbury's Manchester-based backer suggesting over the weekend a fresh £25m bid will be made without the 42-year-old as frontman.
However, Butler is tired of the speculation and is adamant the uncertainty hanging over the club must be brought to an end as soon as possible.
The Leeds captain said: "We need to know now because I think it is only a matter of time before they take the 10 points off us. If the club get it sorted out at least we will know in our minds where we are – we will be looking at a relegation battle.
"We will be on 27 points and know exactly how many wins we will need to get out of trouble. The worry is it (administration) happening in March, which will be horrendous as there will only be a few games left to get out of trouble.
"The one thing we do not want is to go through the leagues like Sheffield Wednesday or Manchester City. I support City and what happened to them was crippling.
"We need to know where we stand and so does the manager. Going into administration will be for the good of the club because once it happens we can then all move forward together. At the moment, it is all set up for the last day of the season when we play Rotherham United at home."
It will be ironic if it is the Millers who condemn Leeds to a second successive relegation, Rotherham sliding out of Division Two 22 years ago after a 2-2 draw at Elland Road on the final day of the season.
If Leeds are to avoid a similar fate they will have to improve on their sorry showing in the final hour against Cardiff. United started brightly and deservedly led through Simon Walton's 14th-minute goal, the teenager exchanging passes with Aaron Lennon and David Healy before coolly finishing from eight yards.
Healy, playing in his preferred role up front, also tested City goalkeeper Tony Warner with two stinging shots from outside the penalty area in the early stages while Gary Kelly's effort went inches wide as United threatened to over-run the visitors.
However, Leeds failed to build on their encouraging start with Cardiff duo Graham Kavanagh and Junichi Inamoto allowed to assume control in the centre of midfield. Their incisive quick movement of the ball, in stark contrast to some woeful attempts at passing by Leeds, meant the Bluebirds were able to pin the home side back for long periods.
Inamoto rattled Neil Sullivan's crossbar in first-half stoppage time while the onslaught continued after the break with Peter Thorne bringing a fine save from the goalkeeper. Cardiff drew level in the 51st minute when referee Neale Barry harshly ruled Sullivan had tripped Richard Langley, Thorne sending the Scotland international the wrong way from the resulting penalty.
The equaliser failed to galvanise United who continued to commit basic errors, Jermaine Wright being guilty of continually giving away possession.
It could have been a lot worse for Leeds with James Collins somehow diverting his header wide when unmarked just six yards out. Alan Lee and Jobi McAnuff were also guilty of failing to capitalise on decent openings late in the game.
Butler admitted: "We started well but for the last 60 minutes there was nothing there at all. We were lucky to come away with a point as we were hanging on at the end."
Leeds United: Sullivan; Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Richardson; Wright, Walton (Spring 85), Pugh; Lennon (Carlisle 57), Healy, Joachim.
Cardiff City: Warner; Weston, Collins, Gabbidon, Barker; Langley, Kavanagh, Inamoto (Ledley 88), McAnuff; Jerome (Lee 30), Thorne.
Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe)
Leeds man of the match: Healy.
